1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to the field of solar energy utilization and, more particularly, to a mold-cured phenolic laminate solar absorber panel having an integral heat transfer passage system on the reverse side of the solar energy absorbing surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The rapid depletion of conventional sources of energy has resulted in an ever-widening search for alternatives to conventional sources such as petroleum and natural gas to meet the increasing demand for energy by our society today. One such viable source which is presently commanding a great deal of attention and research, development and in the deployment of experimental units is that of solar energy. The use of solar flat plate collectors to extract heat from solar energy is becoming increasingly important. Solar flat plate collectors may be employed, inter alia, as sources of heat for homes and buildings and for maintaining an adequate supply of hot water in such installations.
In general, the prior art contains many examples of different ways to utilize solar energy absorbed by flat plate collectors of various types and configurations. Solar flat plate collectors normally consist of a solar absorber plate having a black body surface which absorbs heat from solar radiation combined with a heat transfer system which removes useful heat from the absorber plate and conducts it to a place where it is utilized or stored. Solar collector panels have been utilized to heat a variety of fluid media through heat transfer systems in conjunction solar absorber plates. The higher heat transfer coefficient of liquid media together with the higher heat capacity per unit volume exhibited by such materials as opposed to gaseous fluids results in the ability to obtain an efficient use of the solar energy absorbed.
One of the greatest drawbacks to wide spread deployment of heating systems utilizing solar flat plate collectors has been the higher cost of such systems relative to the present cost of competing conventional sources of energy. Thus, an important goal of present solar energy research is to reduce the cost of solar systems to the point where they become economically competitive with other forms of energy. One of the most costly items in putting together a fluid-type solar energy heating system lies in the cost of materials and fabrication for a long-lived absorber plate and heat transfer system. Such problems as wide-swinging temperature variations, corrosion and other factors have been difficult to overcome short of utilizing expensive materials and fabricating techniques.